1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an steering apparatus and, more particularly, to an steering apparatus capable of preventing the occurrence of noise resulting from slip between an inner surface of a fixing bracket and a side surface of a hinge pipe, which faces the inner surface, thereby providing the driver with a comfortable steering environment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a conventional steering apparatus.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, a conventional steering apparatus 100 is configured such that a hollow inner tube 105, which surrounds a steering shaft 101, is inserted into an outer tube 103, and, when a tilt lever is fastened or released, a tilt bracket is contracted or loosed in the diameter direction, i.e. in a direction perpendicular to the steering shaft 101, thereby performing a tilting or telescopic function.
The inner tube 105 is provided in a hollow shape so as to surround the steering shaft 101, and a lower mounting bracket 107 is coupled to a cowl bracket (not illustrated), which is coupled to the chassis, via a tilt hinge tube 111 and is configured to rotate about the tilt hinge tube 111, which serves as a shaft, when performing a tilting function; and, when performing a telescoping function, the outer tube 103 slides in the axial direction along the inner tube 105.
A mounting bracket 109 is coupled to the outer peripheral side of the outer tube 103, and the upper surface of the mounting bracket 109 is fixed to the chassis of the automobile, thereby fixing the steering device 100.
An electronic control device 117 and a gear housing 113 are coupled to one side of the steering device 100, the electronic control device 117 being connected to a torque sensor, and the gear housing 113 containing a reducer which assists the steering force by means of a driving force from a motor 115.
However, such a conventional steering apparatus has a problem in that, since smooth surfaces of opposite ends of the tilt hinge tube are coupled so as to abut the inner peripheral surface of the cowl bracket, slip occurs between the smooth surfaces of the opposite ends of the tilt hinge tube and the inner peripheral surface of the cowl bracket, when the driver operates the steering wheel or when an inverse input is applied from wheels, and causes noise, making it difficult to provide the user with a comfortable steering environment.